SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Rep. Ami Wazlawik (DFL – White Bear Township) announced today that she will not seek reelection to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022.
“Serving our community in the Minnesota House has been an honor,” said Rep. Wazlawik. “I am deeply grateful to my fellow legislators and the Minnesotans who have worked with me over the past three years. We have done great work together, and I will do all I can to ensure this important work continues.
“After a great deal of consideration, I have decided to explore other professional opportunities instead of running for reelection. I plan to continue fighting for our community and to make the most of my final year in the Legislature.”
Rep. Wazlawik has worked hard to protect the health of Minnesotans and our environment. When members of her community learned they were exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE), she worked with them to ban the carcinogenic chemical. Thanks to a bill she introduced during her first year at the legislature, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of TCE. Rep. Wazlawik also introduced legislation to ban the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, which was signed into law earlier this year. Rep. Wazlawik currently serves as Vice Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee.
As a child care professional outside of the legislature, Rep. Wazlawik has used her expertise to improve access to affordable, high-quality child care. Bills she championed to expand access to child care for children with disabilities, support family child care providers, improve Minnesota’s child care regulations, and incentivize early educators to earn college credits and remain in the field were signed into law.
Rep. Wazlawik has fought passionately for survivors of sexual assault. In 2020, one of the bills she introduced to help survivors get justice was signed into law. It established a 120-day look-back period to determine if a perpetrator was in a position of authority, closing a loophole that could be used to exploit minors.
Rep. Wazlawik encourages constituents to stay in touch with her for the remainder of her term, which ends in January 2023.